Beacon light or life buoy



NOV. 19, 1940. TQBER BEACON LIGHT 0R LIFE BUOY Filed June 6, 1939INVENTOR, fi/m flier;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEACON LIGHT OR LIFEBUOY Herman Tober, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application June 6, 1939, Serial N0. 277,650

5 Claims. (Cl. 9--8.3)

This invention is an improvement in beacon lights, or life buoys.

An object of this invention is to provide a portable, buoyant, beaconlight, or buoy, for 5 use by persons who may be cast adrift from a shipin distress, or by the pilot of a life boat or the like, which willindicate the position of the survivors, or life boat, at night.

A further object of the invention is to provide 10 a convenient,lightweight, buoyant marker for use in water, which may be stored in acompact space when not in use, and which is at all times ready forimmediate use.

A still further object of this invention is to 15 provide abuoyant,watertight beacon light, in

which the light is operated by storage batteries,

and in which the light may be easily turned on or off when the device isafloat in water.

Another object of this invention is to provide 20 a device of thecharacter described which is simple of constructon, economical ofmanufacture, and in which the storage batteries and lamp are so arrangedas to be easily and quickly renewed or replaced.

25 These, and other objects and advantages of this invention, will bemore completely disclosed and described in the following specification,the accompanying drawing, and the appended claims.

30 Broadly, this invention comprises an inflatable body portion, anintegral, cylindrical extension on the body portion for receivingstorage batteries, an integral, open-ended, cylindrical extension on thebody portion and opposite the 5' first-named extension for receiving anelectric lamp, a watertight, transparent or translucent cap removablysecured over the open-ended extension, a lamp removably secured in saidopenended extension, a battery removably secured in 4 said first-namedextension, a switch device frictionally engaged between the battery andthe wall or the battery extension, and electrical connecting meansbetween the lamp and the switch.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the device, as it would appear wheninflated and afloat,

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the device,

50 showing an anchoring strap, and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, in which like numerals refer tolike parts through- 55 out,

A casing I, of waterproof, elastic material, such as rubber, includes aninflatable body portion 2, an integral, cylindrical extension 3 providedwith a closed end 4, and an integral, openended, cylindrical extension 5opposite the ex- 5 tension 3. The extensions 3 and 5 are ofapproximately the same internal diameter, which is preferably slightlyless than the diameter of a battery 6, which may be inserted through theextension 5 and frictionally secured within the extension 3. A plugmember I, provided with a battery contact element 8, is pushed into theextension 3, after the battery 6 is inserted, until the element 8 is incontact with a terminal 9 of the battery 6.

A novel switch device is provided for the battery 5. A U-shaped member-I0, formed with a transverse portion II provided with a contact buttonI2, and side portions 13 terminating in coiled ends I4, is frictionallysecured in the extension 3 by engagement of the sides I3 with the sidewall of the part 3. When the battery 6 is in place, the sides It of theswitch ID are securely held against accidental displacement, between thebattery 6 and the wall of the extension 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Apush against the closed end 4 of the extension 3 will force the button12 into engagement with the battery 6 for closing the circuit, and theswitch Ill will be held in contact position by frictional engagementwith the battery 6 and side wall 3. The switch [0 may be returned toopen circuit position, as indicated in Fig. l, by a push downwardlyagainst the coiled ends I4, through the wall of the inflated portion 2.

A plug member I5, of insulating material, provided with a screw shelll6, reflector l1, and contact strip I8, is frictionally and removablysecured within the extension 5, and the open end of the extension 5 iscovered by a transparent or translucent cap I9 which is pushed tightlyover the extension 5 and held thereon by frictional engagement with theouter wall of the extension 5. A lamp 20 is removably secured in thescrew shell IS in the usual manner.

A wire 2| has one end 22 electrically connected to a coiled end I4 ofthe switch IOand the opposite end 23 electrically connected to the screwshell IS. A second wire 24 has one end 25 electrically connected to thecontact element 8 and the opposite end 26 electrically connected to thecontact strip I8. Thus, the electrical circuit is closed through battery6, terminal 9, contact element 8, wire 24, lamp 20, screw shell l6, wire2 I, switch I0, button I2, to battery 6.

The inflatable body portion 2 of the casing I is provided with astandard valve 21, by means of which the portion 2 may be inflated anddeflated, as desired. A strap 28, having a ring portion 29 encirclingthe part 3 of the casing I, preferably adjacent the juncture of the part3 with the part 2, is formed with a loop 30, by means of which thebeacon I may be removably secured to an anchoring device, or around theneck or shoulder of a person, or to a boat or other convenient object.Preferably, the ring portion 29 is made of elastic fabric, of somewhatsmaller normal diameter than the outside of the extension 3, therebyproviding a constricting element about the portion 3 Which assists inholding the battery 6 and plug 1 in proper position.

In use, the portion 2 of the casing I is inflated, and, when the deviceis thrown or placed in the water, the battery 6 acts as a weight to holdthe device in an upright position, with the lamp 20 at the top, asindicated in Fig. 1. The lamp 20 may be changed by removing the cap l9.The battery 6 may be changed by removing the cap l9 and pulling out theplugs l5 and 'I through the open end 5, then removing the battery 6through the same opening and inserting a new battery, then replacing theplugs l and I5 and cap l9. The plugs l and I5 are made of a suitableinsulating material, such as rubber, Bakelite, or the like. The wires 2|and 24 are purposely made long enough for such operations, and theexcess length coiled within the body portion 2. fhe cap I9 may becolored, if desired.

The beacon lights, as above described, may be .stored in quantity, in adeflated condition, in a very small space, and quickly inflated, readyfor immediate use, as required.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim is:-

1. A buoyant beacon device comprising an inflatable, resilientwatertight casing provided With a pocket in the wall thereof forreceiving a storage battery, means in said casing opposite said pocketfor receiving an electric lamp, a battery removably supported in saidpocket, a lamp removably secured in said lamp-receiving means, a switchadjustably and frictionally supported by the wall of said pocket incooperation with said battery, electrical connections between saidbattery, said lamp, and said switch.

2. A buoyant beacon device comprising an inflatable, watertight casingformed with a pocket in the wall thereof and an opening opposite saidpocket, a U-shaped switch member frictionally secured in said pocket byengagement with the cured over said lamp and said opening, electricalconnections between said battery, said lamp, and said switch.

3. A buoyant beacon device comprising an inflatable, watertight, elasticcasing formed with a pocket in the wall thereof and an open-endedextension located remote from said pocket, an electrical storage batteryremovably secured in said pocket, said open-ended extension being of asize to permit entrance into and removal from said casing and saidpocket of said battery, an electric lamp removably secured in saidextension, a watertight, translucent cap removably secured over saidextension, electrical connections between said battery and said lamp,means included in said connections and frictionally and adjustablysecured between said battery and the wall of said pocket for opening andclosing the electrical circuit.

4. A buoyant electric beacon comprising an inflatable, watertight,elastic casing formed with a battery-receiving pocket in a wall thereofand an open-ended extension located remote from said pocket, saidextensions being large enough to permit entrance of a battery, a batteryremovably supported in said pocket, a U-shaped switch memberfrictionally and adjustably supported in said pocket by engagement withthe wall of said pocket, said switch member being formed with a contactbutton for contacting the battery supported in said pocket, the sides ofsaid switch member arranged to project from said pocket into saidcasing, a plug removably secured in said pocket and provided with acontact element for contacting a battery in said pocket, a plugremovably secured in said extension and provided with a screw shell, alamp threadably secured in said screw shell, a contact strip secured onsaid last named plug for contacting the terminal of the lamp, wiresloosely coiled within said casing and connecting said switch with saidscrew shell and said lamp contact strip with said contact element insaid battery plug, and a watertight, translucent cap removably securedover said extension.

5. A buoyant beacon device comprising an inflatable, watertight, elasticcasing formed with a pocket in the wall thereof and an open-endedextension located remote from said pocket, an electrical storage batteryremovably secured in said pocket, said open-ended extension being of asize to permit entrance into and removal from said casing and saidpocket of said battery, an electric lamp removably secured in saidextension, a watertight, translucent cap removably secured over saidextension, electrical connections between said battery and said lamp,means included in said connections and frictionally and adjustablysecured between said battery and the wall of said pocket for opening andclosing the electrical circuit, a strap secured to said casing andprovided with a loop for attaching or anchoring said beacon to an objector person.

HERMAN 'IOBER.

